The release of the new breed of Ford Focus RS in Spring 2016 was met with a wave of approval. This has carried over into their 2017 model, with many review websites giving glowing reviews. Autocar gave the hatchback 5/5 and said it possessed ‘extraordinary handling’ and is ‘great value’, which is a sentiment that is mirrored by many other reputable car review websites and magazines.

It’s not difficult to see why the Focus RS has received these reviews. With 350BHP and a max speed of 165mph, it’s certainly not a slouch when it comes to speed. This isn’t its best feature, though. The Focus RS is renowned for its handling. As an all-wheel drive car with full stability control, as well as dedicated track and sport modes, the handling is responsive, intuitive, and enjoyable in a road situation.

With all this praise, though, the talk of price is always going to come up. Starting at £30,850, the Focus RS certainly isn’t cheap. However, compared with its “hot” hatchback competition, it isn’t too expensive at all. A BMW M935i will set you back nearly £32,000 with no additional features, and a Honda Civic Type-R comes in at around £29,995.

Whilst the Focus RS isn’t a car that will set the world alight with its speed, it does have impeccable handling, a nice touch in an EcoBoost engine, good boot space, and a competitive fuel economy at around 36mpg. Another plus for the Ford is the relative cheapness of car parts, especially used car parts, in comparison to less well-known brands.

All in all, the Ford Focus RS has the benefits of a comfortable and trendy hatchback, combined with the power and smooth handling of a more expensive car. It’s certainly lived up to lofty expectations, and will hopefully continue to do so in the future!

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